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Part II - Sports Competition

I’ve been afraid to say this, so I’m going to just say it flat out: I don't think a person who has gone through male puberty should be allowed to compete in women’s sports. 

For me, this is about common sense and fairness. It’s unfortunate that a trans girl or woman who wants to compete in women’s sports cannot do so. But like so many things in life, not everything is perfect or to our liking. Accepting this requires scrupulous self honesty, personal acceptance, maturity, and respect for women's sports.

Research has consistently shown that a person who has gone through male puberty develops physiological advantages that persist even after hormone therapy. Biological males clock faster running speeds. They have higher hemoglobin levels which carry oxygen to tissues and organs, and a greater heart and lung capacity. These biological differences prevail even after transition.

In fairness, I should add that the timing of puberty blockers is critical here. If intervention is early enough, before puberty, then the physical advantages don’t develop and competition in women’s sports would be normal and fair. But once puberty begins, the physical advantages persist even after one starts hormone therapy. This, of course, presses on the issue of puberty blockers that I raise in Part I of this series. I remain ambivalent about puberty blockers and under what circumstances they should be started.  

The conundrum in the sports arena is this: if we deny puberty blockers for a potential trans girl, then their options to compete in women’s sports could (should) be severely limited. But how do we know if the pre-puberty child will want to compete and at what level? That’s asking a lot out of a child. It seems crazy to start them on blockers ‘just in case.’ And if puberty blockers are administered, then how do we know we are not ultimately harming the child whose brain development is nowhere near completion? Like it or not, this is the reality we’re grappling with. And if it feels harsh or hurtful, it should be handled in a therapist’s office, not in Congress. 

There is a sensibility about trans women/girls in sports that simply cannot and should not be ignored. But those who genuinely desire to compete need not be disheartened. Perhaps there is a door of opportunity here—one that both satisfies the need to compete and protects the sanctity of fairness in all sports competition.

While the International Olympic Committee has moved toward a more inclusive framework, their guidelines are non-binding recommendations. Various sports organizations are exploring different approaches. For example, Swim England is discussing open categories where participation is unrestricted based on sex, gender identity, or physical characteristics. World Athletics has set eligibility guidelines to accommodate trans athletes (although WA leans more toward puberty blockers). 

We can also learn from other long-existing models. Take boxing and wrestling, which  use weight classes to protect fair competition within each gender category. And at the amateur level, many sports like tennis, swimming, and martial arts use novice, intermediate, and open divisions based on experience and skill level. These kinds of classifications could be expanded to consider multiple relevant physical attributes and capabilities. 

Obviously there would be a host of challenges to such an undertaking, like establishing fair qualifying standards and meaningful championship events. The transgender community should have a leading voice in developing any new classification. I would think this venture would be a lot more exciting and constructive than watching the debate play out in endless political spectacles.

Again, for me, appropriate trans and gender access to sports is about common sense and fairness. Let’s be rational and prudent.

Footnotes

Explanation: Non-binding recommendations in this context means that while the IOC provides guidelines and a framework for sports organizations regarding transgender athlete participation, these organizations are not required to follow them. Each international sports federation and national governing body maintains the authority to create and implement their own specific eligibility rules.

Swim England

World Athletics